The Ultimate Fighter 14 – episode 5 recap

After a quick recap of episode 4, the teams head back to the locker rooms where Team Bisping fighter Diego Brandao erupts on Team Miller’s Steven Siler. Siler seems just as surprised as anybody else that Diego has so much hostility leading up to what everybody believes will be the bout between the two in this episode.

This isn’t the first time that Diego has lost it on the show, and by now, Coach Bisping knows what he is dealing with.

“Diego’s a little emotionally unstable,” Bisping admitted. “He’s pissed off and he wants to fight.”

At the house, Coach Miller shows up and gives Dustin Neace a cowboy hat that looks pretty similar to Josh Ferguson’s, which also has a “B” on it. Ferguson believes that Neace is “swagger-jacking” him, especially after Neace adds the sunglasses to the overall look.

Coach Miller has now deduced that Dodson is his mole and decides that a change in plan is needed to throw off Dodson, which would result in misinformation being relayed to Team Bisping about the upcoming bout.

“Mayhem” approaches Neace and tells him about the change in the fight pick, and that it will be himself and Akira Corassani instead of the previously planned Siler/Brandao to fight next. Neace and Siler are the only two from the team that know about the deception, and both vow to act as normally as possible to conceal the plan from Dodson.

“It’s going to give us a decided advantage,” Miller said. “Akira will be really fat, Dustin will be really in shape, and Diego will be really pissed.”

At the training center, Dodson has his eyes peeled as he watches Siler weigh-in, and doesn’t seem to notice that Neace is cutting weight in preparation for the fight.

Team Bisping discusses what they think the match-up will be, and then they get into their training to prepare Brandao for victory.

At the house, a few members of Team Bisping, including Josh Ferguson decide to steal the hat that “Mayhem” gave Neace. Of course when Neace wakes up and finds it missing, he naturally blames Akira for the incident.

A heated Neace commences to destroying and trashing all of Akira’s things including his food. His anger spills over at the training center as he is seen littering the Team Bisping locker room with Akira’s gear.

As Team Bisping discovers the mess in the locker room, Akira knows who is responsible and an altercation ensues in the hallway between the two fighters. Bisping intercedes and calms the situation down as he spouts off obscenities in the direction of Coach Miller.

The war of words continue between Akira and Dustin at the fight announcements as Coach Miller unveils his change of plans in front of both teams.

During the face off, Akira headbutts Neace, and a scuffle ensues. Neace scores some early pre-Octagon points with a double-leg take down. Coach Bisping steps in and grabs Neace, angering one of Miller’s assistant coaches, which prompts “Mayhem” to step in and shove Bisping.

The two go back-and-forth with insults that can’t be made out due to all of the censoring beeps, but in the end, Coach Miller promises to knock Bisping out once they do get in the cage.

“Mayhem, toilet brush head gets in my face and then pushes me like a little bitch,” Bisping said. “It’s just ridiculous.”

Now that Team Bisping knows that it will be Akira and not Diego fighting, they get to work on getting him ready.

Team Bisping assistant coach Tiki Ghosn feels that Akira’s weakness is his take down defense, and since he will be fighting a wrestler, he decides to focus on having Akira fight from his back. Akira struggles during the session, but Ghosn feels that is exactly what was needed, and that his point was well proven.

“I knew it was going to be a little bit tough for him but that’s what I wanted,” Ghosn said. “I wanted him to see what it was like to get your [expletive] grounded for three rounds with somebody tied up on you.”

Neace agrees with the sentiment that he is favored on the ground against Corassani.

“In this house I’m probably the cream of the crop for the grapplers,” Neace said.

At the official weigh-ins, Bisping is once again a no-show, and his team is starting to think that he’s more concerned with partying then being with the team.

Just as Neace and Corassani are facing off, Coach Bisping finally shows up to show his support for his fighter and his team.

Josh Ferguson decides to continue with the pranks, moving the “M” that marks the parking space for “Mayhem” over onto a handicapped parking spot. Without hesitation, “Mayhem” arrives and screeches to a halt in the handicapped spot.

It’s fight time!

Round 1 – Akira kicks first then fires of a lead left hook. Dustin is using a lot of head movement early as he evades the strikes of Akira. Dustin lands a kick but eats a counter right hand from Akira as he steps in. Nice one-two from Dustin. He tries a spinning-back kick but ends up on his back. Akira hesitates to follow him to the ground initially, and instead opts to kick the legs of Dustin. He grabs the legs of Dustin, throws them to the side and lands a big left hand flush. Akira dives into Dustin’s guard after landing the punch. Dustin is trying to control the wrists from the bottom, but Akira breaks free and lands a couple of shots from the top. He is looking to pass, but gets caught in the half guard of Dustin. Dustin grabs the left arm of Akira and goes for a kimura but he doesn’t have a very good angle from here. He lets it go and eats a barrage of strikes from Akira. Dustin scrambles, creates space and grabs a leg. He secures a tight heel hook and it appears that Akira just tapped! Dean doesn’t step in so the fight continues. He goes for the leg again after letting it go, then both guys scramble up to their feet. Dustin shoots in and gets a take down, but can’t keep Akira on his back. Akira pops up and swings just before the bell. Akira gets Round 1.

Round 2 – Between rounds, Dustin repeatedly tells his corner that Akira tapped. Regardless, it’s time for Round 2. “Mayhem” calls for presssure from Dustin, but it’s Akira that lands a left hand first. Dustin fires back, then Akira lands a big shot to the body. He has Dustin pressed against the cage now. Short elbow in the clinch from Akira then he scores with knees to the body and legs. Dustin has had enough of that and pushes off, He takes the center of the Octagon and lands a flush right hand that snaps the head of Akira back. Nice one-two from Dustin. He just misses with a spinning back-fist. He’s staying pretty busy now. Akira comes forward and lands a big left hand that floors Dustin. Dustin is desperately trying to tie up the arms of Akira to get some time to recover. Akira gets his left arm free and lands a big punch from the top. Akira delivers more left hands that have Dustin scrambling. Dustin kicks off but Akira dives back into his guard. Surprisingly, Akira is controlling from the top. Maybe Dustin is still trying to clear the cobwebs from the knockdown. Akira is now in side control and lands some big knees to the body. Dustin spins and goes for an arm but Akira recognizes the danger and defends. Dustin switches to a triangle attempt but Akira postures out. More left hands from the top as time is winding down. Dustin has simply been unable to get off of his back, and it will likely cost him the fight. He just misses with an upkick, then goes for another triangle but it’s too little too late. Akir takes the second round also, and likely the fight overall.

After the fight, Akira walks over to Dustin’s corner and simulates firing off a machine gun towards Neace. Tempers flare, and the coaches have to step in and take control of the situation. Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer is not amused, as he walks into the Octagon and nearly dismisses Akira from the show following the incident, threatening to suspend him. Coach Bisping cools the situation down, saving his fighter from a nearly disastrous situation.

Akira Corassani is announced as the winner by decision, giving Team Bisping their first win, despite the controversy over the supposed tap.

We’ll see you next week guys. Also, be sure to check out Team Miller featherweight Steven Siler’s blog for this week, Steven Siler’s TUF 14 blog – episode 5, as he shares his inside perspective on everything that went down.

About Denny Hodge

Denny Hodge is a former Marine that always had a passion for writing and art. Once he discovered MMA, it was just a matter of time before he began writing about the fastest growing sport in the world. Denny is currently a co-Owner, staff writer and resident graphic artist at PRO MMA NOW (www.prommanow.com). When Denny is not writing, or creating art for the site, he can be found training his very weak jiu jitsu game and painting characters that live up to his nickname of "The Mad One."